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 Gentscho Pavlov
Managing Partner

Gentscho Pavlov

Co-Managing Partner of CMS Sofia and CEE Partner

Languages
  • Bulgarian
  • German
  • English
Social media

Gentscho Pavlov is a Co-managing and CEE partner at CMS Sofia. He advises leading corporate and financial institutions in the fields of M&A, restructurings, banking and regulatory work, both domestically and internationally. He is one of the preeminent advisers on banking M&A transactions and large-scale portfolio transactions; he advises among others, UniCredit Group, Hypo Alpe Adria Group, Erste Bank, Raiffeisen Bank, MKB, OTP, IFC, Telekom Austria, as well as international financial institutions and investment funds. Gentscho focuses on real estate finance, non-performing loans, acquisition finance, project finance, corporate lending, financial services and products, banking litigation, etc.

After completing his legal studies at the University of Vienna, he worked at CMS Vienna for several years, primarily advising multinational companies and leading investment banks in the areas of M&A, private equity and corporate finance.
 

Awards & Recognitions
01
  • Quote
    "Very responsive and an expert in finance; we are very happy working with him”
    Chambers Europe

Relevant experience

  • A leading Austrian bank | On numerous real-estate financing projects in Bulgaria. 
  • A London-based private equity fund | On the re-negotiation of a real-estate financing with the existing lender. 
  • International Financial Institution | On the provision of financing to an international retail chain in Bulgaria. 
  • A Hungarian Bank | On the restructuring of a financing project in Bulgaria.
  • An Austrian Bank | On the restructuring of numerous financing projects in Bulgaria, including friendly and hostile takeovers.
  • An Austrian Leasing Company | On the restructuring of its Bulgarian leasing portfolio. 
  • An international banking syndicate | On one of the largest real-estate financing projects in Bulgaria.
  • A leading Bulgarian bank | On the first ever sale of a corporate-secured NPL portfolio in Bulgaria

Memberships & Roles

  • Bulgarian Bar Association

 

Awards & Rankings

  • Band 3 for Banking and Finance, Chambers and Partners (2022)
  • Highly Regarded for Banking and Finance, IFLR1000 (2022)

Education

  • 2001 – Master of Law, University of Vienna

Gentscho has led some of the most complex M&A deals in Bulgaria, some of which still rank among the largest foreign investments in the country. He advises companies on the founding and the structuring of their shareholders’ agreements, reorganization, joint ventures, restructuring and recapitalization. He focuses on asset and share deals and advises local and international clients from various sectors on corporate takeovers and mergers in Bulgaria.

Awards & Recognitions
01
  • Quote
    "Very responsive and an expert in finance; we are very happy working with him”
    Chambers Europe

Relevant experience

• An Austrian telecommunication company | On the EUR 1.6 bn acquisition of Bulgaria’s leading mobile network operator.
• A leading Austrian telecommunication company | On the acquisition of the second largest fixed-line operator in Bulgaria. Mobiltel. 
• A leading investment manager focused on private equity, credit, and real estate| On the entire cross-border acquisition of an international chain of medical laboratories. 
• A leading Austrian energy company | On the highly publicised EUR 500m project, with 360 MW the largest hydro cascade project under development in Bulgaria. 
• A Luxembourg Investment Fund | Advising one of the largest Luxembourg Investment Funds on the sale of two of its Bulgarian subsidiaries.
• A German renewable energy company | On establishing its business in Bulgaria and on the development and operation of wind power plants, including advice on corporate law, regulatory issues, energy purchase and distribution contracts.
• A leading Austrian Bank | On financing the EUR 165m development of one of the biggest shopping malls in Bulgaria.
• A major German retailer | On corporate matters and in particular with regard to the Bulgarian aspects of the acquisition of a leading retail chain.
• The world’s leading heavy industries company| On the sale of its shares in Bulgaria to a leading Russian company in the area of electrotechnical equipment.

Memberships & Roles

• Bulgarian Bar Association

Awards & Rankings

• Highly Regarded for M&A, IFLR1000 (2021)

Education

• 2001 – Master of Law, University of Vienna

Additionally, Gentscho Pavlov advises corporations, banks and multinationals on employment and HR issues. His special focus is on the employment aspects of corporate transactions. He has a highly commercial approach and always looks to help clients achieve cost-effective solutions that meet their objectives and minimize risk.

He is experienced in the field of employee competition and the enforcement of non-competition obligations and regularly advises on mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures, restructuring programmes, reductions in force, collective consultations and union recognition procedures.

He also advises on board-specific matters like governance, the terms of appointment of executive and non-executive directors, executive severance arrangements and settlement agreements. 

He focuses in particular on the financial services, public procurement, outsourcing and TMT sectors. 

Awards & Recognitions
01
  • Quote
    "Very responsive and an expert in finance; we are very happy working with him”
    Chambers Europe

Relevant experience

  • An international packaging and paper producer | On labour law issues such as part-time work, termination of different types of employment agreements; and requirements for applying for state compensation for employees’ salaries, etc. 
  • One of the largest European construction companies | On employment matters related to the introduction of a unified disciplinary sanctions policy, on employment matters related to compliance with the Collective Labour Agreement in the construction sector. Additionally, on highly complex employment cases, including a labour accidents issue at the worksite and the compensations due; the termination of employment agreements due to breaches of discipline, and out-of-court settlement agreements.
  • A German construction company | On employment issues related to the lending of staff.
  • On a number of projects for international companies, involving the posting or lending of staff across borders, which, besides employment, tend to raise also challenging regulatory and commercial issues.
  • A German client, leader in automotive technology with operations at 46 locations in 21 countries | On employment issues, related to internal investigations and disciplinary dismissals.